Paladin's Path
by K0nflicti0n
Summary: Watch the journey of a man from trainee to member of the Knights of the Silver Hand. Set in the world of Azeroth but with a more 'realistic' spin and take on things. Summary will update as the story progresses. Rated M for later graphic violent chapters.


**A/N: Like many of you I am a HUGE fan of Warcraft and World of Warcraft and not just for the entertainment value that games bring for also for the well written and fleshed out stories supporting the games. That being said I wanted to try my hand at a WoW based fanfiction with a bit of a "realistic" spin on things. So I'm increasing the size of the "zones", cities and everything else to represent a more real world environment. Also this won't actually follow World of Warcraft and will be more of a continuation of the story from Warcraft 3 but will incorporate elements of WoW BUT no Gnomes, Space Goats, Pandas, Worgen, Goblins, Blood Elf's. There are Forsaken but they are what the name implies, Forsaken by both sides and viewed as vile and dangerous to any living creature**.

 **Also there won't be any "specs" but characters will somewhat fall under "classes" and some characters will display certain skills that could classify them as a certain class and spec combo but again this is a more realistic fantasy story set in World of Warcraft. Finally this will follow the class formula from vanilla World of Warcraft so Paladins are Alliance only and Shaman are Horde only. ENJOY!**

Ever since its creation over a hundred years ago the Abby of Northshire had served as a sanctuary to the world outside the small secluded glen in which it is located. As the years progressed and the church took on more and larger duties to the Alliance Northsire slowly morphed into a training center , of sorts, for Humans who were devoting themselves to not only the light but to service of the Alliance. Many of the acolytes living at Northshire presented no true aptitude for a practical use of the Light's Blessing in a martial sense, but those special few who demonstrated such prowess were quickly segregated from those who would only become a priest or priestess at one of the various temples throughout the Eastern Kingdoms. These separated and special individuals quickly found themselves no longer acolytes of the church, but as initiates in the Knights of the Silver Hand.

The once proud and storied order of Paladins that had been betrayed and dismantled by the madness of Arthas Menethil, before he had killed the orders leader Uther Lightbinger. Now the order was little more than 40 dedicated men and woman who still held fast to their oaths as Paladins. Once the Knight of the Silver Hand had numbered in the hundreds. A Large number of the order had fallen under the sway of Arthas and had followed him to the frozen wasteland of Northrend never to be seen again. The rest had joined Saidan Dathorhan on his quest for vengeance against the scourge and forsaken that had over taken Lordaeron and the surrounding territories calling themselves the Scarlett Crusade, or simple gone into self-imposed exile.

Brother Sammuel was one of the Paladins who lived at the Abby. A man in his mid-forties with shoulder length light brown hair, a well-groomed goatee and a dark tan Sammuel cut a rather imposing figure in the eyes of his charges. This further enhanced by the well-known fact among the initiates that Brother Sammuel had fought in both the second and third wars. Having distinguished himself with honor and valor during combat both times. It was his history that made him the perfect man to train the next generation of the order. His rather gruff demeanor also helped to keep his wards in line at times.

"ALRIGHT YOU LOT! You still stand firm and still or by the Light I swear I will personally see to it that each one of you becomes intimately familiar with the definitions pain and discomfort!" The man roared at the eight recruits ranging in age from nine to fifteen. Sammuel knew more than most that communion with the light required discipline and strength of will. The very lesson he was instilling as he had the recruits standing in the training circle with their training hammers in a 'ready position'.

"Until now you have all received theological training in the light. Those are all fine and well things for a Paladin to know, important even!" Sammuel walked among his spread out students casually adjusting their stance or moving their arms into the appropriate positioning. "But what you need to understand is that for a Paladin to survive we need more then devotion and faith in the Light." Sammuel continued walking until he stood in front of the semi-circle so that all eyes were on him.

"To protect the weak. To bring justice to the unjust. To vanquish evil from the darkest corners of the world." Sammuel spoke with strength and fierce conviction. "That is the code of a Paladin. It is a code you will live and die by." Sammuel paused to look each of the ten trainees squarely in the eye. "And that is why I am here. It's my job to teach you the skills you will need to not only preform your duties as a Paladin so that you can bring honor and glory to the order and you're King. But faith in the light will only help you so much in battle. That is why you will all be receiving advanced training in combat and tactics, as well as joining patrols of the Stormwind Guard. You older students will be joining the initiates when they go on patrols in Elwynn Forest while you younger students will be joining patrols within the gates of Stormwind."


End file.
